


ADNJ: Pebbles

by techuika



Series: A Demon Named Jebediah [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Covens, Developing Friendships, How Do I Tag, Other, Slice of Life, Spells & Enchantments, Supernatural Elements, Witches, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:01:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27932722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/techuika/pseuds/techuika
Summary: "Pebbles" is simply a collection of small and short stories from A Demon Named Jebediah.More centered around lighter elements: more slice of life concepts than action.There's no need to read the previous work.
Series: A Demon Named Jebediah [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1965082





	1. Movies and Snakes

**Author's Note:**

> [ During ADNJ ]  
> Jebediah uses they/them.  
> Morgan uses she/her.

It was late enough for most to be home on a Friday night. The duo had recently finished up their patrolling duties, exchanging jabs and light information with the next group who was taking over. Bidding them farewell and a smooth, uneventful night, the witch and her demon had decided to pick up some snacks and wander. Their shift has ended afterall, they had plenty of free time.

Their little journey ended up with them standing in front of a movie theatre that was about to play its last movie for the day.

"Nerve?" Jeb hummed, strolling up to the small TV that was playing trailers for their currently available selections. "That looks like something exciting."

"Old movie. But yeah I heard it's pretty good." Morgan smiled. "Wanna watch a movie?"

"If you aren't too tired."

"Nah, I'm not. Gimme a sec."

The witch dug in her pockets, pulling out the required cash, only to find herself short. She only had enough for one person.

"Maybe tomorrow? I don't have enough right now."

Jeb hummed, casually looking around. They grin and pull her aside into an alley for a moment.

"Jeb?"

"I've got an idea. But first, do they allow pets?"

"Uhhh I'd have to ask but I don't think they'll allow a dog in?"

"No no, I had something else in mind, if you're willing."

Morgan gave her demon a face of doubt. "Go on..."

"Hi, can I get a ticket for Nerve?"

The kids over the counter were rambunctious and clearly having a fun time closing up the snack bar for the day, but they slowed down a tad when she had approached. Someone squealed as the process of purchasing tickets was going on.

"Is that a snake around your neck?" Came an extremely excited question from one of the staff.

"Y-Yeah." Morgan brought a hand up to pet the gorgeous black ball python around her neck, almost acting like a living boa (ha), their tongue flicking out as she lightly stroked their head. "No touching though, they're curious, but uh they don't like strangers."

Unbeknownst to the group, Jeb was having the time of their life soaking up the warmth and affection their witch was providing. Eventually they asked for their name.

"It's Jeb. Jebby's the best lil guy." She smiles. Jeb pushes their face in her neck, wishing they could remotely blush from her words.

More cooing and a few friendly photos snapped later, Morgan was let go when she was handed her tickets and a free bag of popcorn. The witch sputtered and tried to refuse, but the staff simply shrugged it off with a wink.

With a huff and a round of farewells, she makes her way into her hall and her seat, settling easy enough. 

"I'm the best lil guy huh?"

"Oh my god shut up and enjoy the movie!" She laughs.

Much later, the movie ends and a smattering of chattering people exit the hall. Morgan follows along, notably with no snake around her neck. One of the staff made a little inquiry about it, fearing the pet had gotten loose in the dark theatre. Last thing they needed was to file some incident report to their bosses about the escaped pet.

With a small blush, the witch holds up the somewhat empty popcorn cup, showing the staff one very content snake hiding in the cup.

“Uh. There’s a snake in my popcorn.”


	2. Gravity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [ Post-ADNJ ]  
> Seems like Morgan's forgotten her birthday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jebediah uses they/them.  
> Morgan uses she/her.  
> Josiah uses he/him.

“Hey Morgan.”

“Mm?” The young witch’s focus bleeds back to the present. With all that exists, it now overwhelms her. Her demon had told her that it would take time- a long time- to fully be used to it all. No matter, she easily had the coming eons to learn.

But first-

She shakes her head a little with a small apologetic smile, being glad that Jeb is helping her with that, looking up at the one who addressed her. “Sorry. My head’s kinda not here.”

Josiah chuckled, his expression soft. ”No worries, love. Still need a minute?”

Morgan only then remembers that she’s seated outside, under the gorgeous and well kept rowan tree they had on the mansion’s grounds. The sun was close to dipping low, casting light gorgeous shades of reds to yellows into the blue sky. She has her pack by her side, open notebook and pen on her lap. So far there was nothing in her book. It was solely there for her to write her own observations, if she needed to. A simple enough place for her fleeting and newly scattered thoughts to be organized. The young witch turns to gaze at her left, where her demon lay on an exposed root, all poised like an elegant cat, despite the large canine exterior.

“Maybe a little?” She replies, figuring that it may have been a little too long to say something.

“No problem.” The man smiles again, moving to sit in the grass by her. “I’ll just be here.”

She really needs to work on her focus. Josiah has been nothing but infinitely patient with her, even going as far as to convince the coven to give her a lengthy time off her duties. At least until she works out the more immediate issues with her new... uh. State of being.

_All in time little one._ She hears the voice, their voice. It tickles in her mind. She still isn’t used to it, but she’s learning to. _It seems like he has a present for you._

_Huh?_ Morgan replies.

_Ask him._ A multitude of voices echo chuckles as well. The others, as they’ve explained once. Like nosey little gremlins. Someone scoffs, she thinks. It falls silent quickly. _Focus._

Right.

Morgan blinks and turns to Josiah. “You uh needed something?”

“Nothing much.” He grins, pulling a guitar case onto his lap. (How in the living hell did she not see that?) “Just got you something for your birthday.”

“M-” She blinks even more. “My birthday?”

He’s still smiling at her. “Figured you might have forgotten. With everything going on.”

She scrambles for her phone, rummaging in her pack for it. She yanks it out and checks the date. (She really has to thank Jeb for helping her charge it.) “Oh my god. It’s my birthday and I forgot.”

Jebediah chuckles, their dark muzzle flashing with too many teeth. Morgan frowns and reaches over to shove her demon. They go over the other side, cackling along the way with their paws in the air. Josiah only laughs at the sight.

“Alright alright. Come on.” He clears his throat and puts the case on Morgan’s lap.

She pauses for a moment, giving him a small grimace. “It’s... It’s not a weapon, is it?”

“Christ, Morgan, just open it.”

She rolls her eyes with a small smile and unlatches the case. She gasps.

Inside lay a black acoustic guitar, gorgeous and beautiful in its own way. Carefully, the young witch takes it out to have a closer look. Josiah moves the notebook and case off her lap, gently tucking the book back in her pack while the case rests on his other side. Jebediah had slinked back to her side, laying their head on the grass and watching curiously.

“Sorry it’s not anything super fancy. Kinda remembered your brother once saying you used to play the guitar, so I figured I could get you that?” The man fishes a stark white guitar pick out of his jacket and hands it to her.

A hum. “It has been a while. But... I might be able to play something.” She strums the strings, turning the knobs a little to tune it. It was probably still off, but she can check later. The young witch has to pull from small memories of playing the guitar. Eventually she plucks the notes for a simple lullaby, just slowly relearning how to play the instrument.

Over time, Morgan gets up to her feet, swaying a little to her tunes. She strums and plucks notes of various songs, satisfied with playing for the small audience nearby. And in her head, assumingly. There are faint presences lingering in her head, humming quietly to the songs she plays. She realizes a little later that she’s suspiciously adept to playing the instrument.

Ah, whatever. The music is lovely.

She decides to play a tune she heard from the radio station that played older hits. A gentle tune that sings in the air, the darker shades in the sky filtering in over time. She hums along, eventually sings the words for the song.

_“Gravity... Is working against me  
And gravity... Wants to bring me down  
Oh, I'll never know, what makes this man  
With all the love, that his heart can stand  
Dream of ways, to throw it all away..._

_“Woah, woah  
Gravity... Is working against me  
And gravity... Wants to bring me down  
Oh, twice as much, ain't twice as good  
And can't sustain, like one half could  
It's wanting more, that's gonna send me to my knees...”_

The song bleeds into a solo, something she plays well for the audience. Which grows in her head, all met with content wonder. At this point, she knows she’s getting help from somewhere, like a guiding hand than a moment of possession. She just doesn’t remember being this good with a guitar. 

A hand closes around her ankle, jolting her out of her thoughts and ending the song abruptly as she opens her closed eyes. When did she close her eyes?

“Careful, little one.” Comes Jeb’s voice, accompanied with a fond chuckle. “You’re drifting off a little.”

Morgan realizes now that she has literally floated off the ground, effortlessly levitating in the air like she had been swimming in water. She stays there a moment, looking at the goofy grin Josiah wears and listening to the quiet laughs in her head bleeding away to silence. Jebediah had taken their humanoid form, with a gentle hand around her ankle, anchoring her from floating off into the sky. Silently, she thanks them for it. With a gentle nudge, her demon helps her get her feet back to the ground.

“Gosh, what a show. I’m just gonna assume that you like it.” The older witch gets up, dusting off his pants and holding up both the guitar case and her pack.

She blushes a little, holding onto the guitar. “Yeah I did.”

Together they get the guitar back into the case and she has her pack slung around her. The skies are already in the deep hues of purple and indigo, with the first of the stars decorating the growing darkness. Jeb watches with the guitar as Morgan gives Josiah a huge hug, something the man gladly returns.

“Thank you for remembering my birthday for me.” She says, muffled in his shoulder.

“No worries, love. If I had more time today, I would have brought you out for lunch instead.” He breaks the hug and ruffles her hair with a grin. “It’s getting a little late, how about you get home before the Midnight Division finds you here?”

“Oh god. Yeah no, you know they still creep me out.”

“Oh I know, and yet I heard Jeb creeps them out.”

“What? They deal with creepy necromancy stuff!”

“Still not demons,” he smirks, “undead creatures are one thing. But demons are a completely different breed of creepy.”

“I should... Visit them one day.” Jeb chimes in. With an unsettling grin. Their usual slasher-flick worthy smile with too big a mouth and with too many sharp pointy teeth.

Josiah points at the demon’s grin. “You see that? Yeah. That’s why.”

They bid each other goodbye and head off. The young witch and her demon making their path home, only stopping by a humble restaurant to buy some take out. Morgan makes a mental note about working on her focus. She does miss getting back in the field with the rest of the coven.

_All in time, little one. All in time._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys haven't heard of it, Morgan was playing John Mayer's "Gravity".  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iGOWk-r614
> 
> And for kicks, here's a lovely fingerstyle cover of the same song.  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xm-dB-f8USE

**Author's Note:**

> I work at a cinema.  
> Was kind of some obligatory thing really.
> 
> Feel free to leave comments!


End file.
